


Anthology of Tumblriana

by Olofa



Category: Frozen (2013)
Genre: Comedy, F/F, Fluff, Romance, Song Parody, Superheroes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-13
Updated: 2015-11-21
Packaged: 2018-05-01 09:06:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 5,567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5200148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Olofa/pseuds/Olofa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>[A Month Of Sundays] Coffeeshop AU. Once a week Anna writes "Elsa" on a paper cup. What can happen in a month? <br/>[Usual Superhero Reasons] Even the mysterious Snow Queen of Metrodelle needs someone. <br/>[Drabbles] Romantic Movie AU. Pirate AU. Road Trip AU. All with a twist. <br/>[Their Favourite AU] Elsa and Anna find an un-convention-al new home. <br/>[Drabbles II] Things Big Sister Anna Says (modern AU, age difference). Do You Want To Build A Snowman: Elsa's Verse. Deleted scene from Ch. 18 of Anywhere Her Heart May Lead.<br/>[Just Desserts] On a royal tour, Elsa's a lit-tle tired of the snow-themed desserts. <br/>[Coming Clean] Elsa sings in the shower, Anna joins in (modern college AU).</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Month Of Sundays

**Sunday, 3/1/15:**

Anna was a popular enough barista to get shifts throughout the week, but her favourite days were Sundays. She liked having the time to connect with people or do a little something special for them. For instance, she had written the customer's name on the cup with a little flourish instead of the usual Monday-to-Saturday scrawl.

"Elsa. That's a pretty name."

"Thank you…" She read the name on the barista's tag. "…Anna."

"It's ah-na," she said, half under her breath, looking at the change on the counter.

"Sorry?"

"Nothing. It's ah-na. Not ann-na." She smiled sheepishly, shrugged. "Doesn't matter."

"It does matter, Anna. It sounds…it's a pretty name, too." Her blue eyes connected with Anna's blue-green ones. There was an intimate, awkward pause, then Elsa turned and left, her change still on the counter. Anna scooped it up and was about to dump it in the tip jar, then set it aside, under the counter. In case Elsa came back. For her change.

**Sunday, 3/8/15:**

She'd seen Elsa every shift that week, but was always too busy to share more than a warm "Hi!" and a nod of recognition. At least, she hoped it was recognition. Now it was Sunday again, the weather outside was cool but sunny, and everything felt…lighter.

"Hello, Anna." Elsa said her name with – not _emphasis_ , more like _attention_. Like it was special.

"Hi! Elsa, right? Well, duh, of course." She held up the cup with Elsa's name on it, written in script and underlined with a swoop. She saw Elsa pull out a hand-crafted cloth wallet, woven with a vivid rainbow pattern. "Hey, that's a really pretty wallet. Did you get that at the world music festival? A couple years ago? Wow, I can't believe I remembered that." She shrugged. "My brain," she said, grinning, and pointed at her head.

Elsa looked thoughtful. "You're right. It was a couple of years ago. I went with someone." She closed the wallet, slid it into her back pocket. "She and I aren't together anymore."

Anna's face fell. "Oh, no. Oh, God. I'm so sorry. I didn't know. I'm so sorry." He hand flopped vaguely, trying to wave away the embarrassment.

Elsa put her hand on Anna's and stilled it. "It's all right, Anna. Like you said, it was a couple of years ago." She sighed, then held up her cup, warming her hands around it. "Anyway, thanks for the coffee. Bye." She nodded and left.  
After Elsa left, Anna could finally move and speak. "Uh, you're welcome," she said to the memory of Elsa. "Any time." For the rest of the day she remembered the softness of Elsa's hand on hers, and wondered if _together_ meant _together_ or _**together**_ _-together._

**Sunday, 3/15/15:**

Anna was crouched down, straightening the supplies under the counter. When she stood up, she was startled to see Elsa was already standing in front of her.

"Oh, hi! Wow! You look pretty."

In place of her usual zip-up hoodie and jeans, Elsa was wearing a pale blue jacket over a silk t-shirt and slacks. She beamed at the compliment. "Thank you. So do you."

_I do not,_ thought Anna as she wiped stray hair off her forehead with the back of her wrist. "Oh. 'Pretty.' Damn."

Elsa's brow furrowed. She leaned in, her voice lowered. "What is it?"

"Nothing. It's just the first time you came in, I said your name was pretty. Last week I said your wallet was pretty. Today, 'pretty' again."

"I don't think using the same word once a week is that bad."

"You look, um, some other word that means 'pretty', but different."

Elsa smiled again, looking Anna up and down and resting on her face. "Cute? Adorable? Charming? Sweet?"

Anna wrote Elsa's name on her cup, her tongue peeking out in concentration, using that as an excuse to look away. "Yeah. Sure. All of those, I guess." She filled it and slid it towards Elsa.

"Thank you," said Elsa. She picked up the coffee. "So do you." She nodded and left.

_So do I? Was she saying it back, or did she mean it? What_ _ **did**_ _she mean?_ Anna was so preoccupied re-running all the things they'd said that it took fifteen minutes to realize that she'd forgotten to charge Elsa for the coffee, and Elsa had forgotten to pay.

**Sunday, 3/22/15:**

Anna pretended she hadn't been waiting all day for Elsa to show up. "Hi. Elsa, right? Welcome back." She casually waved a hand in greeting.

"Hello, Anna." Elsa said the name like she was tasting it.

"The usual?" Elsa nodded. As Anna worked, she talked. "I work all different shifts, but I see you in here all the time. What sort of job do you have with those kinds of hours?"

Elsa looked away for a second, then back again. "Oh, it's no big deal. I do digital art and layout. Corporate newsletters by day, e-book covers by night. I just need to get out and clear my head now and then." She waved vaguely at the interior of the coffee shop.

"E-book covers?"

Elsa leaned her hip against the counter and told Anna about some of the stranger self-published books she'd done covers for, particularly the e-romances. Anna stood entranced, laughing and gazing into those beautiful blue eyes. She caught herself and looked away. "What would you say the weirdest one was?"

"I don't know about weird. Probably the toughest was a Scottish werewolf in space. Space werewolf is hard enough. But how do you make him Scottish?"

Anna giggled. "Tartan space suit?"

"Electronic sporran." She raised an eyebrow. "And nothing else." Elsa hid her giggles behind her hand. As Anna blushed, Elsa asked, "Do you do anything artistic? Besides calligraphy?" She pointed to her own name on the paper cup.

"I do a little sketching, but I'm no good at anything digital."

"I'm sure you could pick it right up if you had the right person to teach you."

_Is she offering? She's offering. No, she's not offering. Is she offering?_ While Anna was trying to process, she blurted, "Oh God, I've just kept you here talking and talking."

"Yeah, I'd better drink my coffee while it's still hot. Thanks, bye." She smiled, made a small, awkward wave, and left.

Anna literally kicked herself behind the counter. _Damn it! Why did I have to say that? She must think I was chasing her off. Damn._

**Sunday, 3/29/15:**

It was uncharacteristically busy that day because of a Sunday concert at a nearby church, so when Anna saw Elsa approach the counter, she barely had time to write Elsa's name on the cup with her usual care. She handed Elsa her order, said "Hi," and moved on to the next customer. She was afraid, especially after last week, that Elsa would think she was being standoffish. She hoped that Elsa understood.

Anna didn't usually resent her customers, but she felt frustrated at the crowd. _It's probably all in my head, anyway. She's just a bored, friendly customer. I'm blowing this way up. Again._ Later that morning, a customer stepped aside to reveal the next person in line.

It was Elsa. Instead of taking her coffee to go, she had stayed and finished it there. She handed her empty cup to Anna, said "Could you take this, please?" and left.

Anna was about to toss it into the trash. She turned it to look at Elsa's name one more time.

Underneath the name was a phone number.

**Tuesday, 3/31/15:**

When Elsa answered the door to her apartment, Anna was standing there holding that cup with the phone number and grinning awkwardly. Anna was afraid it'd look silly. But Elsa just smiled and put it with the two dozen other cups, all rinsed and dried, all with Elsa's name in Anna's handwriting.


	2. Usual Superhero Reasons

**Issue #1**

Usual Superhero Reasons

Hey, Elsa. Have a seat. I bought you a coffee.

Thanks, Anna. Waiting long?

No, just reading the paper. Seen it?

I don't follow the news.

The "arctic avenger" was out last night.

The who?

You know. _Snow Queen_. The real-life superhero of Metrodelle? Mask, tights, mysterious freezing powers?

What'd she do? Get a polar bear cub out of a tree?

Just stopped the oil refinery from exploding, is all.

Oh. Listen, do you have plans for dinner?

Elsa, I've been thinking about Snow Queen. I think she's pretty amazing.

She's just a weirdo in a mask. No big deal.

Yeah, why does she wear a mask?

Anna…

Seriously. What do you figure?

I don't know. Usual superhero reasons.

Yeah. Like keeping the people she cares about safe, by keeping them away. Distance. That's kind of sad.

Could we talk about something else?

I think she's bashful.

She doesn't look it.

I think she's afraid the people close to her wouldn't be okay with her powers. Or wouldn't be okay with her going out on dangerous missions.

It's nothing to do with you so drop it, okay?

I think she's afraid that the people who care about her wouldn't be okay with who she is. But they would be. Even if she was putting herself in danger, and cancelling plans and stuff, they'd understand. Because what she's doing is important. To the city, sure, but also to her. It's who she is. And if I was one of them, one of those people who cared about her, if I was as close to her as I am to you…I'd want her to know it's okay to be who she is. She's brave, and fantastic, and amazing, and she shouldn't have to hide from the people who love her.

Anna…

Shh, it's okay. Really. It's okay.

* * *

 

**Issue #2**

The Adventures of Snow Queen and The Flake

Anna, can I please open my eyes?

Almost there, almost there. And 3…2…1…open!

It's…

Whaddaya think?

It's…a bicycle? You decorated a bicycle?

It's not just a bicycle, it's the Ice-Cycle.

The icicle?

No, the Ice- _Cycle_. You know. For _her_.

A bicycle?

Well, you need transportation. But you can't have a car or a motorcycle without a license plate, that's illegal. So, ta-da!

A _tandem_ bicycle? Anna, we talked about this. You _cannot_ come with me when I…when I'm her. It's too dangerous.

Me? No no no no no. Not for me. It's…if you have to rescue someone. You can put them on the back.

And pedal away with them.

No. You do that thing you already do with the wind, but on wheels. Easy peasy.

This isn't a game, Anna. It's not cosplay.

…and there's saddlebags for all your crimefighting stuff…

I'm not a crimefighter. That's the police. I'm a rescue…person.

And the bombings? And the bank robbery?

Well, sometimes people need to be rescued…from crimes. Anna. You know why I do this, right?

Because you have these gifts, and you can't stand by when you can help, because you care so much and you're so amazing. I love you so much, Elsa, and I am so proud of you. I just want to help.

Anna, I love you dearly. And your support, it…well, I never knew how much I needed it until you gave it to me. It feels so good to have someone I can talk to about this, who cares and listens and understands.

And loves you.

And loves me. But you _have to stay away from this._ I couldn't bear to see you hurt.

I can take care of myself.

You're brave enough. But if you were around when I was, you know, doing Snow Queen stuff, I'd be too worried about you to concentrate on what I'm doing. Someone could get hurt.

Oh. _You_ could get hurt.

I didn't mean that.

Oh God, I'm so sorry. I only wanted to help.

You are helping. You're already helping more than you know.

I'm not doing anything.

You're being you. And you're there for me. And that is a kickass superpower. The best.

I…

Now grab your helmet. We're taking the Ice-Cycle for a spin.

But you said –

It's not for _her_. It's for us. Anna and Elsa.

Snow Queen and Snowball. Snow Queen and Frosty? Snow Queen and The White Wonder?

Anna!

Ice Ice Baby? Avalanche? Snowflake?

Come on, Flake, let's roll. I get to steer.

And I get to look at your butt while you pedal.

Anna!

Talk about superpowers.

I will turn this bicycle around, young lady!

 


	3. Drabbles

**Spoiler**

_Classic Romantic Movie AU_

Elsa? W-why didn't you tell me?

I thought you knew. I thought _everybody_ knew.

B-but _Romeo And Juliet_ is supposed to be the romantic-est romance ever!

Seriously, I'm sorry, but didn't you take it in high school?

Elsa, _they die at the end!_

Anna –

And it's so stupid!

Anna –

…i don't want you to die…

Oh, God, Anna. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I'm not going to die. I'm going to be right here for you, forever and ever, and never going to leave you.

[fifteen minutes of sniffles, hugs, kisses, and hair-stroking later]

Feeling better, sweetie-cutie?

Yeah. Yeah, I am. Elsa, I'm sorry I was so silly.

You weren't silly. _I_ was silly. I took things for granted. Now let's watch something fun, okay?

Yeah. I'd like that. I hear _Thelma And Louise_ is good.

Anna? Honey? About that…

* * *

**Piracy**

_Pirate AU_

Anna?

Mmm?

I love _Tangled_.

Yeah, me too.

Haven't seen it in a while.

Mmm.

We, um…

Yeah?

Anna? Honey? We don't own the DVD, do we?

Mmmmmmm…you want some popcorn? I'm'a go make some popcorn.

Anna? _Anna?_ Get back in here!

* * *

**The Road To Arendelle**

_Road Trip AU_

[Starting in the 1940s, there was a series of musical comedy films starring Bob Hope and Bing Crosby. The titles all started with _Road To…_ (You probably know them by the homages on _Family Guy._ ) They'd generally start with an introductory song interspersed with snark.  
This is my tribute, with Elsa as Crosby and Anna as Bob Hope.

_Anna's lines are in italics._  
Elsa's are in plain text.  
**When it's in bold, they're singing in unison.** ]

**Elsanna Week Day 5: Roadtrip AU**

[sung]  
_She's Elsa._  
And she's Anna.  
_We're sisters through and through._  
This little princess saved my life, because her love was true.  
_And as for all that fricky-frack? That's just a thing we do._ [shrugs]  
**We're two loving sisters on The Road To Arendelle.**

_She has power over ice and snow._  
You've gathered that, I'd guess.  
_And when she's scared or angry it can make an awful mess._  
But there's nothing to concern you,  
_till she's hit with PMS._  
**We're two loving sisters on The Road To Arendelle.**

[spoken]  
She was ready to give her life to save me.  
_And I know she'd give her life to save mine._  
I'll show you what I'd like to give her…[gazes lasciviously]  
_Elsa, no! Not in front of the snowgies!_

[sung]  
She got engaged to sideburns-guy before she'd count to ten.  
_Hey! I only had a day until you'd close the gates again._  
Now just stay here with your sweetie and forget about those men.  
**We're two loving sisters on The Road To Arendelle.**

[spoken]  
_Everyone picks on me, but Hans was the one who wanted a whirlwind courtship._  
I like the idea of Hans in a whirlwind courtship.  
_You do?_  
I'll bring the whirlwind.  
_You just want to give him the cold shoulder._  
Shoulder, feet, head, heart, testic-

[jumping into song]  
_There's Kristoff and his reindeer. He acts like it can speak._  
You must admit their friendship is, to say the least, unique.  
_But I swear we won't get married 'till I've known the guy a week._  
**We're two loving sisters on The Road To Arendelle.**

[spoken]  
It's so cute. He thinks he's people.  
_Yeah, Sven's a sweetie…You meant Sven, right?_  
Mmmaybe.  
[sigh] _It's "the funky-looking donkey" all over again._

[sung] _  
She's been shipped with Frost and Hiccup._  
And Hans, for goodness' sake.  
_It's good to know that Disney wouldn't stand for that mistake._  
Besides, my sister Anna's all the love that I could take.  
**We're two loving sisters on The Road To Arendelle.**

[spoken]  
_You'd never ship Helsa, of course_.  
Or Hanna.  
_Is there anything you could ship him in?_  
Harshmallow.  
_Yeah. That could be harsh._  
[evil smile] If you do it right.

[sung]  
**We're two loving sisters,  
putting sisters before misters,  
just two loving sisters on the Road - To - A - ren - delllllllllllle!**

 


	4. Their Favourite AU

Elsa and Anna were hiding behind a painting, huddled together, terrified.

Elsa had glimpsed the picture as she and Anna ducked behind it. It was a strange painting, taller than it was wide, much taller than Elsa. It was on something like oilcloth, held in a free-standing metal stretcher of ingenious design and remarkable workmanship. The dark confusing image was of half a dozen angry people in outlandish outfits, plus one very angry, very large, shirtless green man. There was a great deal of writing, most of it difficult to read, although it was very important to let Elsa know that these people were avengers. She had no idea what they were avenging or who was the target of their vengeance. But now was not the time for that.

"What kind of place is this, Elsa?"

On the other side of the painting was a large, brightly-lit room packed with people. So many people, and so strange! Noisy, chaotic, like Market Day ten times over. Some of the people were in outfits so outlandish Elsa could only assume they were costumes, although even the relatively normal people were dressed oddly. Short-sleeved tunics without collar or buttons, imprinted with words or images, seemed to be the fashion, as well as trousers of blue canvas for both men and women.

"Elsa? they look so strange. Everything looks strange."

There was an unsettling rough texture to nearly everything, as if the world had been crumpled tightly and smoothed flat. People's hands and faces, what she'd glimpsed of them, were covered in miniscule wrinkles. And no one, not the most beautiful of the women or the most adorable of the children, had eyes as large as theirs.

"Elsa? Where are we?"

"I…I don't know."

"But we're gonna do something, right?"

"Yes. We're… Stay behind me. We'll wait here until nightfall. I'll protect you until then."

"But Elsa, people can still see us behind this…banner? Someones' going to notice eventually." And sure enough, a woman with flamboyant hair, dressed like a magical-sailor-themed prostitute, caught Anna's eye and said, "Anji, come here! You've got to see these two."

Anna shook her head, panicked, mouthing no. The woman nodded, smiling with understanding. She mouthed okay, put her finger to her lips, and went off to tell Anji, "Never mind."

Well, the natives seemed to be friendly. "I'm going out to talk to them. Maybe we can find out what's going on."

"Anna, no! You can't."

"Elsa, what did we ask Grand Pabbie to do?"

"Find us a place where our love would be tolerated."

" 'Welcomed,' Elsa. Where our love would be welcomed."

"But this place. Where in the world are we?"

"Maybe we're not in the world anymore. Maybe we're in a better world."

"Not heaven, clearly. But…maybe some other world? An alternate world, where reality itself is different?"

"And if Grand Pabbie's magic can do that much, I'm sure it can do the rest of it. These people will welcome us. I know it."

"Anna! Stop!" But it was too late. Anna had bolted out, and addressed the crowd.

"Attention, People of…Here!" Heads turned. "I am…" She took a deep breath, stood up proudly, and announced, "I am Princess Anna of Arendelle."

The crowd murmured approval. More began to congregate.

"I am here with my sister, Her Majesty Queen Elsa of Arendelle."

More sounds of approval, even one or two cheers. Someone said, "Amazing cosplay." Anna didn't know what cosplay was, but she hoped it was a good thing.

She ducked behind the picture and pulled Elsa out into the open. Elsa put one arm around her protectively, and raised the other, ready to fight. "I love my sister," continued Anna.

"Anna, be careful," said Elsa, but was beginning to be swayed by the cheers and smiles.

"I love my sister very much!" proclaimed Anna. "In fact, even though she is my sister, and we are both women, I love her…like this!" And she kissed Elsa with the full force of her unrestrained passion. Elsa tensed, but between Anna's warm embrace, her soft, probing tongue, and the wild cheers and applause of the crowd, she melted in her sister's arms and kissed her back with all the heat and longing she had been forced to deny.

She pulled back to gaze into Anna's eyes, more liberated than she had ever been in her life. "Anna, we may be lost in a strange alternate universe, but as long as I'm in your arms, I'm home. Thank you for your bravery."

"Thank you for…oh, this." And to the chants of O! T! P! Anna kissed her again. Hungrily, lovingly, free.


	5. Drabbles II

**Things Big Sister Anna Says**  
[Age!AU. That is, Anna much older than Elsa]

Elsa, I understand that you're scared, and you just want the other kids to like you. But you _cannot_ go around turning everyone's milk into ice cream.

I'm trying to have a shower, Elsa! That is not funny!

Yes, that was a very rude thing for Hans to say. And you were right to be upset. But we use our words, not our magic, okay? Now unfreeze his butt.

You see, Elsa, sometimes after a hard day grown-ups have grown-up drinks to relax. And sometimes grown-up drinks are better when they're cold. So be a sweetie and freeze this mug for your big sister, 'kay? Thanks.  
No, you can't have any.  
Because I said so, that's why.

That's a _very_ pretty dress. Did you conjure it yourself? What a talented big girl you are! But you're going to have to change it back if we're going to cousin Punzy's birthday party.  
Because you're too young to…because it's too…because…the candles on the cake will melt it?

It's okay, sweetie. You're not a monster. You're a beautiful little miracle.  
Because monsters are mean. And you're not mean, you're the sweetest little girl ever. Now lemme hug you.  
Not done hugging you yet.  
Okay, now I'm done.  
Okay, one more.  
I love you too.

* * *

**Do You Want To Build A Snowman? Elsa's Verse**

_Please don't ask again, I beg you._  
Anna, if you only knew  
that every word you say to me  
brings back the memory  
of what I did to you.

_We went to build a snowman  
all those years ago,  
innocents in the snow…  
You know I never meant to hurt you.  
You know I'd never mean to hurt you.  
_[ANNA: (spoken) Elsa, are you in there?] __  
Anna, go.

* * *

**Deleted Scene from Chapter 18 of Anywhere Her Heart May Lead  
** [featuring that kid from the beginning of the movie who didn't want to dress up for the Coronation]

As Anna waited for her sister to arrive, two voices rose out of the murmurs of the crowd behind her.

"Why do I have to dress up like this again?"

"Don't you want to look nice for the queen?"  
"But Mooooooom!"

Anna turned around to see a husky blond woman and her fidgeting young son on the other side of the barricade. The woman flickered between looking at Anna in horrified embarrassment and glaring at her boy. The lad in question was instantly paralysed by shyness, staring at Anna.

She hunkered down to meet his eye level. "Good morning, I'm Anna. What's your name?"

His mouth hung open until he could answer, "…Ørsted?"

She smiled at him. "You look very handsome dressed up like this."

"…my mom…" he muttered, and nodded his head at her.

"Well, I'm sure Queen Elsa will be very flattered that you dressed up just for her."

He tipped his head to the side and shrugged. "…f'you, too…"

"For me? Thank you!"

He stood proudly, beaming at Anna. His mother nudged him. "Say 'thank you' to the princess. Ørsted."

"Thank you Princess Anna," he recited, sing-song.

"You're welcome, Ørsted. I hope you have a good day." Anna stood, gave Ørsted's mother a knowing wink, and turned back to wait for Elsa's ship.


	6. Just Desserts

“And now, the _pièce de résistance_ ,” said the mayor of Ølborg, proudly waving in a huge covered dish that was already sweating with condensation.

As Elsa sat at the head of the banquet table next to Anna, she felt all eyes on her. A weak smile was already forming on her face.

She had been touring Arendelle for most of a month, visiting the cities and major towns, getting to know her people and letting then get to know her, too. The entertainments had ranged from hauntingly beautiful (a Sami chorus singing their traditional music) to the delightful (children doing a folk dance… and Anna dragging her from her seat to join in) to the tedious (yet _another_ interminable speech). But wherever they went, for breakfast, lunch, and banquet, every meal ended with…

Ice cream. Snowflakes, ice castles, the North Mountain, snowy landscapes, elaborate sculptures meant to honour the beloved Ice Queen. It wore very thin, very fast. Even Anna was almost getting sick of ice cream, and Elsa was more than sick of the ice and snow motifs. It was making her self-conscious.

Anna gave her an encouraging smile and a “here we go again” look as the tray was placed before them and the mayor himself lifted off the cover.

Elsa said, as Anna talked over her, “It’s a…”

“Son of a…”

“BEACH!” Anna laughed, and Elsa clapped her hands with delight like a little girl.

Isinglass, tinted blue with violets, cast whipped cream breakers against the shore. The waterfront and dunes were ice cream, but coated in cinnamon and powdered cookies. Marzipan planks made a path to a candy-stick pavilion, fringed by seagrass made of filaments of drawn sugar.

In answer to the sisters’ surprised and delighted faces, the mayor explained, “When we heard you were coming we wanted to do something special, so we asked a friend of yours for advice. He said he couldn’t imagine anything making you happier than summer.”

Anna and Elsa shared a look and a nod. This time, god bless him, Olaf was right.


	7. Coming Clean

_bzzt bzzt bzzt bzzt bzzt  
_

Anna let out a long moan, and not the good kind. A slender, freckle-dusted arm flailed out from under the covers and thwacked her alarm clock into silence. The thought, “Thank god Rory can sleep through anything,” forced its way through the cotton stuffing that filled her head,

On the far side of their dorm room Aurora’s slow breathing was undisturbed as Anna rolled out of bed with a thud and pulled herself up. “Stupid Tolkein. Stupid elves. Stupid everything,” she said, and yawned heavily. Twelve o'clock last night she had been polishing her completed essay on the structure of one of the poems in _Lord Of The Rings_ , trying to extract some importance from the pattern which didn’t quite fit any of the metrical feet she knew, when it struck her, as she put it, “It’s not a fucking poem, it’s a fucking goddamn fucking waltz!” She had stayed up until four thirty rewriting her essay from scratch, and now it was eight a.m. and she had to get ready for an early class.

Wearing her terrycloth bathrobe, which over time had become extremely comfortable, if dingy grey, and plush chicken-foot slippers that looked stupid but kept her feet incredibly warm, she trudged out the door and down the hall to the showers.

“Please let something good happen,” she wished, and as she entered the tile-lined room, it did. The Voice was showering.

She didn’t know who the girl was, and she was too awkward to ask anyone — “Hey, who’s the girl with the voice like an angel who belts out show tunes and pop songs in the showers because I think I have a mini-crush on her,” was not something she was going to say out loud — so to Anna she was simply The Voice. _  
_

_“They say have courage, and I’m trying to. I’m right out here for you. Just let me in.”_

The beautiful melody, the exquisite voice, lifted Anna like gentle but powerful waves, and she fairly glided into the stall next to The Voice. Normally she would’ve left an empty stall between them, but grogginess had sedated her inhibitions. She had to get close to The Voice. That is, the voice. Anna let the hot water wash over her body as the music washed over her soul. It was beautiful and heartbreaking and she could’ve listened all day.

Unfortunately, she didn’t have all day. She had to get going. “Cheerier!” she shouted before she could stop herself. “Dammit,” she muttered. It was the first word she’d ever said to The Voice, and it was criticism. The song stopped. Anna’s head flopped forward, Then, after a pause:

_“Everything is bet-ter when we stick together._  
_Side by side, you and I gonna win forever, let’s party forever._  
_We’re the same, I’m like you, you’re like me, we’re all working in harmony._  
_Everything is awesome.”_

Anna laughed. But somehow, that solitary clear voice took a jokey song and made it soar, stripped of its cynicism, only the exhilaration left behind. Energized, Anna perked up immediately. grogginess forgotten. She lathered up vigorously, filled with energy.

However, the enthusiasm mixed with her slaphappy sleep-debt, and she jumped in at the next pause:

_“Have you heard the news? Everyone’s talking!_  
_Life is good ‘cause everything’s awesome!_  
_Lost my job? It’s a new opportunity._  
_More free time for my awesome community.”_

She clamped her hands over her mouth, tasting soap. _Oh god. I’m an idiot._ She stood, wishing the shower could wash away the embarrassment, as the silence dragged on.

From the other side of the stall partition she heard, “I…feel more awesome than an…awesome possum?” The Voice sounded as sweet talking as she did singing.

Anna felt joy fill her chest. She laughed, took a deep breath, and shouted.

_“Dip my body in chocolate frostin’!_  
_Three years later, wash off the frostin’,_  
_Smellin’ like a blossom, **everything is awesome!** ”_

They both laughed. Anna said, "Oh my god, your singing is amazing. You’re gorgeous. I mean, your voice is gorgeous. Okay, this is awkward. I mean, I’m awkward, you’re gorgeous. Oh fuck, shut up, Anna.“

"I’ll shut up, but my name’s not Anna, it’s Elsa.”

“No, _I’m_ Anna. Oh fuckity fucking fuck. And don’t shut up, I love your voice.”

“I was always afraid I was bothering people.”

“No, never stop! I’m not bothered!” To herself, she continued, “Unless you count 'hot and bothered’.”

She heard a giggle. “Really?”

Anna thumped her head against the partition.

The Voice — Elsa — asked, “Are you okay?”

“Fine. Embarrassed and humiliated and I’m gonna die, but fine.”

“No, it’s okay. Really. You want to talk?”

“You mean, like not through a wall?”

“I think I’d like that.”

“Okay. Me too. I mean I think I’d like that too.”

“Okay.” She heard Elsa turn off the shower as she did the same. She stepped out of the stall and saw a pale figure wrapped in a towel, blonde hair thick and wet and plastered to her flawless shoulder, dazzling blue eyes. She was so beautiful it made Anna’s chest hurt. “Wow, You _are_ gorgeous.”

Elsa smiled. “Same to you.”

And that’s when Anna remembered she wasn’t wearing a towel.

As Anna frantically hid behind the shower curtain, Elsa dipped her head and said, “Would you feel more comfortable if I…” and dropped her towel.

“Yes. No! Yes! I mean…” As Elsa bent to pick up her towel, Anna said, “You don’t have to do that.”

“Do what?” said Elsa as she straightened. “Drop my towel or put it on again?”

“Uh… I had three and a half hours sleep and you’re naked. I can’t think right now. Could you figure it out please?”

Elsa smiled kindly. “All right,” she said as she handed Anna’s towel to her. “You get dressed, and we’ll go get some coffee, okay? I’ll get you to class on time.”

Her smile broadened. “If class is that important right now.”

“I… It… Um, I'ma get dressed now. Yeah.”

Class didn’t turn out to be that important after all.

A third of the way through her coffee (in Elsa's room; Belle, Elsa's roommate, was going to be at the library all morning), Anna made a quick estimate of her essay's grade, the late penalty, and the percentage of her final grade, and decided the essay could wait a day if she could stay with Elsa for a while.

She finished her coffee, they kissed a little, cuddled for a while as Elsa sang to her, and she passed out on the bed.

While she slept, Elsa submitted the essay to Prof. Cogsworth for Anna and explained what happened. With the essay, that is.

"A waltz? Are you sure? But it starts with an iamb."

So Elsa sang it for him.

Anna got an A.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be a quick drabble from an OTP prompt. The prompt was:
> 
> “we live in adjacent apartments and the walls are really thin, so I hear you sing every morning in the shower at 6:30 and you’re actually really good and I stand next to the wall and sing the next lyric just to see what would happen” au
> 
> I tweaked it a bit, obviously. From @otpoftheday by way of @promptsfordays


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